Heading into its 14th year, the WITH Tas Committee once again includes women from an impressive range of backgrounds and businesses who have equally varied skills and experience.
From heritage country accommodation to Tourism Tasmania, event management, digital marketing, hospitality training and businesses of all sizes, these women all have two things in common - a heartfelt commitment to tourism in our beautiful state and to supporting other women in our industry.
At the 2020 AGM, the Constitution was updated to add a Student Member to composition of the Committee. This was done to provide the opportunity to gain experience, confidence and develop skills that will assist in career development. This year, we are delighted to welcome Eve Wang into this role.
President: Jill Bannon
Jill has been a member of WITH Tas since Day 1, assisting founder Sally Deane with setting up the organisation and holding the positions of treasurer, general committee member and membership and database coordinator.
Jill operates her own conference and event management business – Jill Bannon Corporate Event Management (Tas) – which specialises in boutique and mid-size conference and event management.
She also works for one of Tasmania’s foremost charities – Cancer Council Tasmania – overseeing and coordinating a range of gala fundraising events in Tasmania.
With over 37 years in the hospitality, tourism and event management industry, and having lived and worked in the north, on the west coast and in the south of our island, Jill is a passionate advocate for developing the conference and event business within Tasmania.
Vice President: Rita Warrener
This is Rita's seventh year on the Committee. She has worked in tourism for several decades across retail travel, tourism marketing and industry development. Her current role is Policy & Industry Manager at Tourism Tasmania.
Rita has remained in the industry because she genuinely believes that tourism provides economic and social benefits for Tasmanians, and it is an industry that is sustainable into the future.
She is also involved in T21 - the Tasmanian Visitor Economy Strategy - which you can find at www.t21.net.au
Rita says she's fortunate to be working in such a positive industry. Visitors love Tasmania and the people who work in the industry are passionate about what they deliver.
Treasurer: Kerry Scambler
Kerry has a diverse background and wide range of experience. Originally a Launnie girl, she spent five years working in Melbourne and Sydney before returning home and settling in the community of South Arm, south of Hobart. Her experience includes:
- Eight years with her own business, The KS Principle, working generally with smaller tourism operators on content curating, writing , online presence and general consultation. She also worked with the team at Arm End multi use recreation reserve in a diverse role in preparation for the construction of walking trails and world-class golf course.
- Eleven years with national online wine and food travel publisher, VisitVineyards.com, based at Cambridge.
- Thirteen years in the successful national sales and marketing team at J.Boag & Son, based in Hobart.
- Twenty plus years involved with the very active South Arm Peninsula Residents Association (SAPRA), receiving Clarence Council's 2019 Citizen of the Year award for her community work.
- Plus early stints in credit unions, media, tech companies and a favourite time involved with Targa Tasmania from prior to the first event in 1992 to 1996.
Now heading into her seventh year on the WITH Tas Committee, she's looking forward to another year of connecting, supporting and inspiring you all!
Secretary: Daniela Ruiz
Daniela is from Patagonia, Chile and has been living in Australia since 2012. She discovered her passion for travel and tourism on her first solo trip at the age of 14 when she lived in Alaska for 7 months (you can say she has been following the cold for quite some time). Since then, she believes travel is the greatest form of education and has made her career about encourage others to travel in a meaningful way.
She has worn many hats in the industry - from hospitality, customer services and operations to marketing and industry development roles. She holds a Master’s degree in International Sustainable Tourism Management from Monash University and a Certificate in Sustainable Tourism from Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
She worked at Tourism Tasmania in various roles for almost 4 years and today, she is the Project Manager, Tourism for Tourism and Hospitality, Department of State Growth, Tasmania.
Daniela loves the outdoors - especially waterfalls and sunsets - pasta and a good glass of vino (Tassie Pinot is always her first choice).
General Committee: Alice van der Woude
Alice, a Tasmanian-born marketer and tourism operator, has diverse experience working within the Tasmanian tourism industry, including many years as an operator running a small-medium tourism business and three years in the marketing team at Tourism Tasmania. Alice has been as a member of the Women in Tourism & Hospitality Committee since 2021, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Destination Southern Tasmania.
Alice currently works as Director, Marketing & Experience at On Board and is leading the launch and design of their bespoke and immersive wilderness experience aboard a new custom-built Tasmanian vessel (launching Jan 2023). Alice has had advisory and management roles in this family business across marketing, product development and operations since its launch in 2016.
Until recently, Alice worked at Tourism Tasmania and was responsible for managing and implementing marketing programs – including the Unordinary Adventures program, inspiring people who travel for their passions to visit Tasmania for special interest experiences – and the partner marketing program, realising high-quality brand communications via partner channels.
In her spare time Alice makes appearances representing Australia as an underwater hockey player.
General Committee: Tania Thompson
Tania is an experienced chef and catering professional with food and design knowledge. She is constantly updating her knowledge and experience in the industry and enjoys networking.
She has worked for various organisations, mainly in the corporate scene, which has allowed Tania to cook for various executives, eg Prime Ministers, Bill Gates and Cate Blatchett to name a few. Her biggest event was the James Packer wedding to Jodie Meares.
Tania has a passion for all areas of the hospitality industry, loving the fact she can be innovative and creative and can constantly change her ideas and grow.
General Committee: Jenifa Dwyer
Jenifa was a passionate drama teacher for many years in Sydney. With a Masters in Creative Arts Education she taught at NSW premier performing arts high school, NHSPA. Here she became involved with student welfare which led to training in counselling and to voluntary and paid work with Lifeline Northern Beaches.
A long held dream to run a Bed and Breakfast led her to Tasmania in 2015 when she purchased Hamlet Downs in Fentonbury in the Derwent Valley. Soon after arriving at Hamlet Downs she joined Derwent Valley Tourism and was an active member right up to when she sold Hamlet Downs in 2021.
Jenifa joined WITH in 2018 and now has Annie’s Room at Warwick Cottages, an historic 1837 property which is listed on Airbnb. In her spare time she volunteers as a guide taking guests and tourists on Buggy Tours at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens, and is enjoying again her love of theatre with The Hobart Repertory Society at the Playhouse Theatre.
Jenifa is delighted to be on the WITH committee as she is passionate about Tasmania as a first class tourist destination and a beautiful place to live.
General Committee: Aletta Macdonald
Aletta was a founding committee member of WITH Tas in 2009 and now re-joins the committee in 2022.
She has worked across a broad variety of tourism roles including in marketing roles for a Tasmanian Tours and Travel and Corus Hotels. She spent 5 years developing the Huon Trail region and touring route before joining Tourism Tasmania as Manager Infrastructure and Investment, focused on driving new Tourism product and investment opportunities.
Aletta spent 3 years as Manager Regional Tourism and Destination Development where she was responsible for the development of Tasmania’s four Regional Tourism Organisations, and the last 7 years as Manager Access and Aviation. In this role she helps deliver Tasmania’s Access Strategy and manages the state’s relationships with airline and cruise line partners and those organisations that support them such as ports and airports.
In 2022, Aletta took leave from Tourism Tasmania to study Regenerative Tourism and Economics and establish her consultancy Plan J.A.M providing project management, research and advisory services for tourism operators, and freight logistics and market solutions for small Tasmanian exporters.
General Committee - Student: Eve Wang
Eve spent seven years in Taiwan working in sales & marketing for the IT industry, before moving to Melbourne. Then she visited Tasmania and fell in love with the people, relaxed lifestyle and sense of community. And the food - she believes Hobart is a true 'food paradise'.
Eve is currently studying a Certificate III in Commercial Cookery at Frontier Education with her eyes firmly set on developing her own brand of uniquely Tasmanian croissant products. She is already perfecting her recipe and has established a small business. Perhaps a reflection of Eve's character is that she chose croissants because she recognises the "dedication and knowledge required to create a perfect French croissant".
Eve is the WITH 2022 Student Scholarship recipient. She formally joined the WITH Committee in August 2022 as the Student Committee Member and was elected for 2022-2023 .